Villagers against the construction of 43 homes on open pastureland say their views are being ignored with repeated planning bids threatening to ruin the character of the settlement.

An application, from David Wilson Homes for an estate on fields off Hilary Bevins Close, Higham on the Hill, was turned down in April by councillors at planning committee because it was considered too extensive.

But with an appeal lodged and costly planning inquiry looming Hinckley and Bosworth officials have been in talks to reassess the merits of the proposal, and since the applicant needs to make minor revisions - giving five properties brick walls as boundary treatments - the scheme can be re-examined at committee.

The revised bid is to be heard next Tuesday with officers again recommending approval and agreeing with new information from David Wilson to prove the house count - nine above the minimum number required in the village - is justified.

Higham villagers and their parish councillors are outraged and feel the community is being ridden roughshod over.

Ann Jenkins, vice chairman of the parish council, said: “How do we get the ordinary person’s view to be listened to? It would seem David Wilson Homes have been putting pressure on the borough to resubmit the plan rather than go to appeal which of course costs the council money, so we have to face a planning committee again.

“If councillors accept it we would certainly feel the views of our residents and our parish council count for nothing.”

As part of the scheme 21 dwellings have already been given outline planning permission. David Wilson Homes has tagged a further 22 onto the development.

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s core strategy planning guidance included delivering a minimum of 40 new homes in Higham by 2026.

With various individual and small scale applications already approved the extra 22 off Hilary Bevins Close means the 40 minimum is exceeded by nine.

Councillor Reg Ward, who opposed the application in April saying the site was too close to a dangerous road junction, said: “The villagers don’t want it and are angry because they feel ignored. It takes time for new settlements to be assimilated - this is just too much all in one go.”

He added: “There are no plans to improve the roads in the village yet the development is close to the dangerous junction of Station Road, Wood Street and Main Street and obviously would bring an increase in traffic.”

In its revised bid David Wilson Homes offers a justification of housing need which concludes “...the proposed development would make an important contribution to the strategic housing supply and deliver a sustainable development which will respect the character and appearance of the locality and create a high quality and attractive residential environment.”

Officers emphasise in their report the housing requirement in the core strategy is a minimum figure to allow for flexibility and while the proposed site is in countryside it “is not considered this site, given its siting, constitutes a ‘typical’ open rural countryside location.”

The scheme, providing for a mix of two, three, four and five bed detached, semi and terraced two-storey homes, should under the core strategy planning guidance, offer 40% of the homes for affordable housing.

David Wilson are only offering 25% - 11 homes - because they say the scheme would be unviable with so many rental properties. An assessor from Coventry City Council has backed up this claim.